In a six-month study conducted at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School, a clear correlation was found between happiness and productivity in a call centre of 1,800 staff members. They found that happy employees worked faster, used their time more productively, and garnered 13% more sales versus their unhappy officemates.

In Danish, there is actually a specific word that defines work-happiness: arbejdsglæde (pronounced as ah-bites-gleh-the). It is a feeling derived from a number of factors such as enjoying the work that you do, being recognised for your accomplishments, working with nice colleagues, staying motivated, knowing that what you do matters, or simply having fun while at work.

There is no doubt that happiness is a key ingredient in keeping employees engaged with their work. Happiness is, in fact, good for business. Here are some helpful tips that you can do in the workplace to help your employees find a sense of happiness and job satisfaction in your organisation.

1. Encourage work-life balance

Constantly overworked employees are bound to experience burnout. A substantial salary and other company benefits may be good incentives, but these aren’t the only ways to make employees feel happy. Create a working environment that provides a positive experience for the employee which complements having a fulfilling life outside of the office. Help them to manage their workload by setting realistic deadlines. Respect their time away from the office like weekends, holidays, or statutory leaves. Your staff will feel more energised and eager to work once they’ve had enough time to rest and recover.

2. Communicate to connect

Employees feel isolated when they are left out of the loop. Communication is a two-way street that cultivates trust and builds a genuine relationship between you and your staff. Hold regular staff meetings – at least once a week – to discuss about their work and to update them about the business. Find time to ask how they’re doing in their personal lives. Provide a safe space for concerns that need to be discussed one-on-one. Be attentive and truly listen so you can respond appropriately.

3. Let them feel that they matter

Employees find fulfilment in their work when the company values what they do. Acknowledging their efforts makes them feel seen and that their work matters to the organisation. Allow them to participate in decisions that will affect the entire company. Ask for feedback and update them on the results. Being a part of the bigger picture gives your staff a higher sense of purpose.

4. Treat every employee with respect

Showing respect to every member of the organisation should be an essential trait to begin with. Staff members feel demoralised when they are disrespected or discriminated against. This can also be damaging to the company’s reputation. In this day and age, company policies should provide equal opportunity and promote inclusivity and diversity. Ensure that these are implemented in your company culture. Conduct sensitivity trainings, if necessary. Encourage employees to speak up if they have encountered discrimination in the workplace. Be firm in resolving these issues to prevent this from happening again.

5. Provide opportunities for career growth

One of the reasons why employees are unhappy at work is due to the lack of career development. Conduct regular performance reviews and career planning discussions to give employees a clear direction. Inform them about opportunities for career growth within the organisation. Provide resources for training and development so they can acquire new skills or further enhance them. They’ll feel more inspired to work, knowing that they have available options to aim for a higher position or for self-improvement.

6. Re-assess your company benefits

Another reason why employees leave the company is that they are no longer satisfied with the benefits that the organisation is offering. From an economic standpoint, it may not be enough to meet their needs through the years. Increasing the salary is one thing but you can also explore other options such as expanding their insurance or disability coverage, offering dental care, providing transportation or optical allowance, or memberships to health and wellness programmes. Your people are your biggest investment and it’s only right that they should be well-compensated for the work that they do.

7. Recognise and reward them

According to Ron Friedman, author of The Best Place to Work, “Business feedback indicates that smaller, frequent positive feedback and rewards will keep people happy longer than a single large, infrequent happy event. Even the biggest awards or raises ‘wear out’ in less than a year, with most employees responding better to small doses every few days.” Whenever you can, thank your staff and recognise them for their accomplishments. It can be as simple as sending them an email or bringing it up during a meeting. This can go a long way in boosting their spirits.

8. Emphasize on empathy

Your staff can feel disengaged in the workplace when no one can relate to what they’re going through. Develop employee-level empathy by learning about how they work and how they feel about it. Perhaps there are elements in the work process that they have difficulty with or they’re going through a personal crisis which is affecting their performance. Help them to deal with their issues by understanding where they’re coming from. Offer resources that can provide support for your staff, such as mentoring or wellness programmes.

9. Lead and empower

What you say and how you act can affect your employees. If they see that you are unhappy, it will trickle down to them as well. You are in a position to promote a positive working environment, so your actions will set the tone of the company culture. That’s why it’s important to understand and share the company’s mission, vision, and core values to the staff – by the way you conduct yourself – so that every member will also feel empowered to do their part.

10. Allow personal accents in their work space

Little personal items such as a family photo, a small plant, or a funny coffee mug can liven up an employee’s work area and boost their mood. They also make great conversation pieces that can help you bond with your staff on a personal level. Let them customise their work space but remind them not to put anything offensive and to maintain professional standards in general.

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As the foremost recruitment agency in Ho Chi Minh City, The Talent Consultants recruits high-quality talent across the Southeast Asian region for a wide variety of multinational businesses. Through the years, we have established ourselves as the trusted specialist in workforce management in Vietnam.

We also offer free resources on our website for employers to guide them during the interview process and to help them manage their remote staff. Candidates can also benefit from our online assets to guide them in their career journey and to help them search for work in our job vacancies page.

Learn more on how your organisation will benefit from our staffing solutions to support your business goals and endeavours. Give us a call on +84 28 7309 7991 or book a free consultation with us here.